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Pierre Kaffer with Audi

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At least six new drivers will compete in the 2005 DTM-season. dtm.de will present the newcomers in loose succession. And Pierre Kaffer is the first one.

Pierre Kaffer was born on 7 November 1976 in Bad-Neuenahr-Ahrweiler/Rhineland Palatinate. The Nürburgring, situated just up the road, certainly contributed slowly but surely to the present Swiss resident’s destiny – motor racing. In the coming season Kaffer starts for Team Joest Racing with the Audi A4 DTM in the most popular Touring Car series in Europe.

Kaffer gathered his first experiences in motor sport, not unlike most of his colleagues, from 1990 to 1993 racing karts. Even then the declared aim of the young racer was Formula 1. After an apprenticeship-year in Formula Ford he won his first title becoming Formula Ford-Champion in 1995, a second title followed just one year later in Formula Opel. The qualified car mechanic spent five years in the German Formula 3 Championship, the predecessor of today’s Formula 3 Euro Series. Kaffer could celebrate eleven race victories, but the breakthrough, designed to catapult him into Formula 1, did not happen.

In 2002 Kaffer changed to the Porsche Carrera Cup and enjoyed under Ernst Moser’s direction a strong debut with Phoenix Sport Team. One victory, one Pole Position and a string of good results gave him third spot at the end of the year. In the following season he also competed in the Porsche Supercup which is organized at Formula 1-events. With two victories and two Pole Positions the enthusiastic mountain biker managed third position overall as well.

Last year Kaffer caused plenty of noise. As a brand new factory driver for Audi he raced in the American Le Mans Series and the Le Mans Endurance Series. Together with Frank Biela and Alan McNish he won his sports car debut in the Audi R8 at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Four more victories followed in both series.

After his impressive sports car season with Audi the 28-year-old cherishes the opportunity to prove his abilities in DTM. „I am happy to be able to start for Audi in DTM and quite confident that it will be a good rookie season for me“, says Pierre Kaffer.